Fabricating a 1932 Ford Fan Shroud - Heat’s Off

If you want to keep your hot rod running cool, it’s going to take more than a good radiator. You’ve got to move some air. You could have the largest, highest-flowing radiator money can buy, but if you’re unable to move sufficient air through it, you’re still in hot water.

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Moving air is the fan’s job. Much valuable information has been written about choosing the most efficient fan type, size, and location. Richard Mikami chose a 14-1/2-inch-diameter mechanical fan for his big-block–powered ’32 Ford coupe. The fan is wide enough to cover the width of the radiator, but is unable to draw air from the upper portion of the 22-inch-tall core.

The solution is a fan shroud. Shrouds expand the size of the area from which a fan can draw cool air—in this case from a 14-1/2-inch circle to the entire surface area of the radiator. A secondary advantage is that they can shield the radiator from the heat from the engine—and provide a more finished look to the front of the engine compartment. The shroud on Mikami’s coupe was built by Brian Stone at Stone’s Metal Shop in Gardena, California. Stone took a little time (a lot of time actually) to really dress up this custom piece. The decorative screen treatment in the area above the fan opening doesn’t make the coupe run cooler, just look cooler.